We loved the hike and would recommend it to others. But we have a few words of caution. Though very beautiful, the bluffs and scenery were somewhat difficult to see due to so much smoke in the air from fires. Afterwards, I asked about the smoke at the nearby ranger station and the ranger did not know the origin of the fires causing the smoke. On our descent we ran into two families with kids aged about 4 to 10. The kids were struggling, especially through the rocky sections. I would hesitate to take young kids on this trail unless they're used to hiking a lot.

Arrived at 10 am on a Monday; only 2 cars in parking lot. Really nice views of river and forest. Will do again. Trail in great shape. Enough elevation change to be aerobic with no bugs. Very little water on trail, can easily hike in sneakers; suspect it's a different story earlier in season. As others have noted, access road needs grading, low clearance vehicles may have problems.

TLDR... Very worthwhile hike, if early. Bummer crowds. Keep your dog on it's leash for the love of all things decent. Nike running shoes will get you there, but for sure would recommend boots.

We got to the trailhead around 7:15 am and the lot was only about half-full. We were pretty fortunate to not encounter anyone for over a mile and a half - just the sweeping fog and light rain. The hike itself is a relatively gentle climb through some old growth and a couple slightly more tedious sections (think Pennsylvania on the AT) added in for a nice kick. The trail is well maintained. The alpine lake at the top is gorgeous and was well-worth the trip up. We strolled around the lake for awhile before the crowds arrived and decided to head back down around 9:45 am.

Unfortunately once we started heading back down we were smacked with a never-ending (as in, from the lake down until the parking lot) line of people heading up. The crazy foot traffic was harsh, but not nearly as lame as how people treat that place. We encountered about 10-15 deposits of trash that were not on the trail when we ascended a couple hours earlier and lwayyyyy too many groups of tech-bros and bro-ettes that were letting their dogs run off the leash - WE GET IT, you're dog is "chill" but with the amount of traffic (and kids), coupled with how narrow and rocky it can be at times, the entitlement isn't warranted or beneficial.

All-in-all, the hike is incredibly enjoyable and not very taxing and could be rated +4/5 on quality of trail, scenery, and workout alone. However, considering you're bound to come across a bunch of people here, it's worth knowing that... yup, a bunch of them suck.

Great hike, good views, and fun rugged terrain that will challenge you. Trekking poles recommended for anyone doing this trail, especially for inexperienced hikers. This trail is a bit longer than the posted 9 miles due to the 3/4 mile walk from the mountain loop road to the trailhead.

The view at the top is stunning! I would say this hike is more moderate than hard. I’m in decent shape. The last bit is steep but just when you think it’s too steep it will even out to give you a little break. It’s definitely longer than 7.7 miles especially if you want to walk around the lake and see it from all the points which I highly recommend. Definitely go to the rocky part where aasgard pass starts. Totally worth it! Get there early because it was super crowded coming up when we were coming back down around 12 and it is a lot cooler going up in the morning. We didn’t have a problem with bugs at all.

This is one of the most beautiful hikes I have ever been on. I would say it is more moderate than hard, the length isn’t too bad and it’s pretty gradual with a few steep points. The top is stunning views all around, the water is unbelievable. The water wasn’t as cold as I expected, so jump in! Make sure not to separate from your group at the top though because there are a ton of small side trails along the lake and they are very disorienting and our group and lots of others lost each other briefly. Also it is recommended to not pee on the trail due to the goats so there is a little toilet perched on the trail at the top for going to the bathroom- amazing view from it too! Recommend stopping in Leavenworth for a sausage after :)

I went here for a day hike on 8/11/18. My friend and I drove from Seattle starting at 5:30 AM and made it up to the parking lot by 8:30 AM. We didn’t even get to park in the parking lot because it was so crowded. A lot of people started to create their own parking spots later in the day, and boxed other cars in. So, I am totally happy that I didn’t park in the lot!! I just parked on the side of the road-I would recommend this. My friend and I are in fairly good shape as we both play soccer and run 3-4 times a week, so we made it up in 2 hours and 15 minutes. This included breaks and picture taking. The last 30-40 min of the hike are a bunch of rocky switch backs, and that part of the trail I would consider “hard”. Every other part of the trail is moderate. We sat by the lake for 45-60 min and ate lunch sitting next to the super turquoise lake. It was a beauuuuutiful day. It reached a high of about 75ish, but the trail is well shaded and we both hiked in shorts and a T-shirt. The only super exposed part of the hike is when you get to rest at Colchuck, but even then you can find a spot to rest in the shade! As for footwear, we are lucky enough to have nice hiking shoes and our feet were totally fine on the rocky terrain. The trail is doable with tennis shoes...I just wouldn’t recommend it since it’s a long hike (4 hours for us total). There were 0 bugs out, and I think we were really lucky about this as I heard this trail could get buggy. I will definitely do it again.

Great hike. Went 8/11 got to the trail at about 6:30am made it to the lake in 2.5 hours. Had no issues with bugs. Trail was well kept up. Moments of steepish climbs then flat then climbs then flats which made the hike rather enjoyable. I personally would not rate this hard more like a high moderate. If you have done MAILBOX before this hike this will be a breeze. Lake is beautiful. GET THERE EARLY. Crowds show up in the afternoons.

Hiked this last week with a girlfriend and kids (ages 9-15). Definitely bring water. Gets rocky but still doable in regular running/athletic shoes. I’m not in great shape (lol) but we all made it up and back okay.

Lake is gorgeous and worth the work to get up there. We did it on a weekday, started about 10:15am - got back to car about 3:15pm. Slow and steady and hung out at lake for a bit and ate our lunches. Several waterfalls along the way. Well maintained trail. Mostly in forest.

Awesome hike! It was challenging in my opinion and I would reccomend bug spray for sure. The flies were relentless. Took our group around 3 hours up and 1 hour 45 minutes down. The view at the top was AMAZING and very worth it. We took a rewarding swim as well, water was around 40-50 degrees. BEAUTIFUL water and mountainous terrain!

I went on the 4th of July. I lucked out with parking. Judging by the amount of cars, I considered not going but was able to get a parking spot at the trailhead. Based on the amount of cars, I was pleasantly surprised to not really meet up with too many people for the about the first mile. The rocks weren't as bad as the roots as people have mentioned. I wouldn't take little kids but I saw plenty trekking without a problem. I had a dog and encountered about 18 others throughout the day. All but one were on leashes. The mud greets you near the top. I'd say the last half mile. The worst part were the bugs at the top. I didn't notice them once I crossed the wood planked walkway. definitely be prepared. Beautiful, relatively easy hike. I'd defi do it again.

absolutely beautiful hike and Lake. You can even see some trout swimming around in the lake. Still some snow up on the canyon wall set if you're careful you can get up to. As a reminder people with dogs please pick up your droppings.

Arrived at 7 AM on Sunday morning and had plenty of parking space. However, in the 5 minutes it took us to get ready, 10 other cars arrived. This won't be difficult for anyone in decent shape. Trail sneakers with good grip are fine, but you'd be wise to wear boots. Not for the grip but to protect your ankles. Lots of roots and rocks. I've posted a bunch of photos of the actual trails so you'll get an idea of what to expect.

My impression? I loved it. Worth every drop of sweat. We arrived to the lake just before 9 AM and there were already at least 50 people up there. Didn't feel crowded yet as the trail around the lake is just over a mile. If you want to swim, and you really should if the weather permits, go to the other side of the lake where access is better. Lots of large rocks and boulders where you can enjoy the view, and if you go higher up, you'll really get some peaceful time as most people don't bother climbing rocks. We spent good 3 hours up there before we headed back down.

It was crazy busy on the way down. Met good 200 people heading to the lake, with lots of people who seemed rather unprepared for the hike, wearing inappropriate shoes and carrying an 8 oz. bottle of water in their back pocket. When we arrived to the parking lot, there were cars waiting for a spot, and other cars parked by the side of the road. And yes, saw absolutely no bugs.

Got there at 8am and there was lots of parking. By the time we left at 1:15, the lot was full (and it was a Monday)!

Trail was in good condition. According to my friend I hike pretty fast so it took us about 1 hr 15 min to reach the top. Not a lot of bugs which was nice. Bring your bathing suit- it’s the perfect lake to hang out for a few hours and swim at. If you have the time, walk the path that goes all around the lake!

Absolutely stunning views! The hike is challenging but not overly difficult, and well worth the effort. The black flies were a bit of a nuisance, but we forgot our bug spray. Bring your swimsuit for a rewarding swim in the lake!

Amazing trails 717 and 8. Both breadth-taking experiences!! Had the best time taking 8 to Twin Lakes where i has lake to myself to camp and and was entertained all night by a momma goat and her baby. It was the best experience I had in Jewel Basin.

NOTE: be aware that road leading to Camp Misery TH is a significant challenge if you’re easily unnerved by very narrow, switch-back, dirt roads with much washboard effect and some drop-offs as you climb/descend. Narrow means 2-car width in some places but many others only 1.5 to 1 car width.

Huge potholes on the way to the trail head, take an SUV or truck if you have one, if not it will take forever and a half!

The hike up we lost the trail a couple of times. You wont get very far off trail though, keep an eye out for the plastic markers to stay on trail. Trekking poles are recommended, as they helped a ton!

The hike up is steep, so be mentally prepared. You’ll make your way up until you hit some logs laying down, go up and then you seem like you lose the trail. You can either go straight up, or take a right. Both will get you to where you’re going. Once you’re almost to the lake, you’ll come to a spot where you can go left or right, and on the right will be pink plastic bits tied to a tree branch, around eye level. GO RIGHT! Its approx. 1/4 a mile till the lake. Once you’re here though, put on your bug spray before you get to the water.

Once you go right, there’ll be some nice spots to see a pond and the moutains over yonder. You’ll keep going till you see purple wildflowers on the ground, and then you’ll see a pond. You’ll think this pretty thing of water is the lake, but keep going and you’ll reach the lake.

The pond has a pretty spot if you veer to the left to sit and eat some snacks for a minuet while looking at the trees and a small meadow! Once you’re done here, the lake is right around the corner. Its very rocky at the lake, but beautiful nontheless.

The hike down will feel like nothing. Its surprisingly easy going down than going up. The potholes going back to civilization are not any easier. You can’t win at everything!

Beautiful hike! It was definitely a workout for me and my group, and we’re in pretty good shape. The view at the end of the hike made it sooo worth it. It’s unreal. Took us about 5 hours there and back. I absolutely recommend this hike!!